SPEECH
OF VICE PRESIDENT NOLI DE CASTRO
61st
Anniversary of the Leyte Gulf Landings
MacArthur
Landing Memorial National Park
Palo,
Leyte
20
October 2005
Ladies
and gentlemen:
Sixty-one
years ago, General Douglas MAcArthur fulfilled a promise. He
returned to the Philippines exactly two years, seven months, and nine
days after he left Corregidor.
For
Filipino and American soldiers
who were waiting in the islands, the news of General MAcArthur’s
return was a cause for celebration.
The
Leyte Landings
But
the Leyte landing was important not only because American ships
brought back a huge army to HELP DEFEND OUR COUNTRY. It was more
than a landing of soldiers and war machines. it signaled the return
of hope in our land.
Among
those who waded ashore with
General MAcArthur at this historic place was Sergio Osmena Sr.,
President of the Philippine Commonwealth and general carlos p.
romulo. President Osmena had succeeded President Quezon after the
latter died of tuberculosis while he was in Australia. President
Osmena’s return marked the re-establishment of the Philippine
government in the country and rekindled the dreams of independence in
the minds and hearts of Filipinos.
Fighting
a New War
Today,
we are back in the same spot in the province of Leyte where the great
American General returned with our great Filipino leaders. Today we
commemorate their historic arrival.
Yet,
while we recall this glorious event of the past, we can not avoid
looking at the present and realize that we, too, are in the midst of
another war.
We
are now faced with a war on two fronts.
First, we
are fighting the war
against poverty. Every worker who loses his job, every woman who is
forced to sell her body to strangers, every child who ends up begging
in our streets—they are all casualties of war. We can not have too
many of them. This is why our government and all its
instrumentalities have been working double-time in the anti-poverty
program.
Second,
we
are fighting
the war against terrorism. we have joined the entire global
community in the struggle against the evil brought about by
terrorism. but while we take comfort in the support of friendly
nations like the united states, the fight against terror is indeed a
terrain that many of us are unfamiliar with. How do we fight a force
that thrives on threat? How do we defeat an enemy with no face, and
yet remains as deadly as an army of battle-tested soldiers?
Perseverance
and Hope
My
friends, the war against poverty and terrorism will not be won by
superior arms, but rather by a superior spirit.
It
is in this aspect where both the American and Filipino people can
never be defeated. We both believe in democracy, in equality among
men, and in enabling every person to achieve his full potential.
These are very powerful principles—stronger than the forces that
brought poverty and terrorism in our midst.
The
United
States has been our ally
in the past as we pursued these ideals. I am confident that we will
continue to work together in conquering poverty and terrorism in the
future.
Thank you
and good day. mabuhay
tayong lahat!
©
Copyright
2005
Office of the Vice President (OVP) 
Management Information Services
Division (MISD). All rights reserved.
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